


RFRS - The Pleasure Dome

by SWAG_77



Series: Star Wars: Force Tantra [5]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Legends - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 05:32:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,491
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7562284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SWAG_77/pseuds/SWAG_77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tarkin discovers the presence of Yemaja Lah and exactly who she is and has to alert Emperor Palpatine about her.</p><p>This story is after Tarkin leaves the art auction with Grand Admiral Thrawn <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/6466003/chapters/14799829">Star Wars: Vernissage - Artistically Speaking It Was Mandalorian Done</a></p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Discovery

Tarkin enters his Eriaduan estate early in the morning. He wears a new uniform from the late-night party of the art auction. His two dates were returned to their house alone with a small squad of his personal stormtroopers. His constitutionals kept him from losing his mind from what his family had become. He walks his office bureau to review his schedule, when a hologram of his two sons, the elder, Garoche, who betrayed the Empire and mounted an insurgency against Darth Vader, only find out the natives killed him; and his youngest son, Hunulf, a lazy deathstick addict.

Tarkin gave Hunulf a lifetime of chances. The best Imperial academies would admit him, but he would return home on expulsion.

Tarkin made him enlist in the army and the sergeants fearful of Governor Tarkin did not force Hunulf to do basic training.

Tarkin took his son’s application to fast-tracked him in an Imperial officer like all the men in the House Tarkin, and Hunulf managed to fail officers candidate school and assigned him to join a new department, the “Imperial Loyalty Office” that questions the commitment of military leaders and politicians to the Empire. It was a newly created department by the Commission for the Protection of the New Order (COMPNOR) as a part of internal affairs and reports to the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB). The decision was made after his ship, the Carrion Spike was stolen and an Officers were found for treason against the Emperor. Admiral Rancit was the leader.

Then, during Tarkin’s campaign to become Grand Moff, Hunulf’s eyes were wily and he relapsed back into deathstick abuse. Tarkin chose to not save his youngest son. He let him be arrested and imprisoned. But, Tarkin’s wife, sick with cancer, released him and he returned to the Eriaduan estate under the care of her protocol droids. While Tarkin serves the Outer Rim, his household on Eriadu is on the verge of collapse and his family betrays the sacred vows of the Empire. Tarkin studies the hologram to erase it, then asks her protocol droids to report. “What course is she on for today?”

A Cybotica droid stubble-walks to him and speaks with a Coruscanti programmed accent in Galactic Basic Standard. “Her first course was just started, Governor Tarkin.”

“And her pain factor?”

“A ten out of twelve, sir.”

“Good work, keep at it. I want her pain factor high because the chemotherapeutics will work faster,” a lie fabricated by Tarkin. Truth be told, his anger against his wife for welcoming his drug addicted son back was her punishment. “Is Hunulf in the compound?”

“He failed to check in last night, sir. But he may be in the Eopie stables where he rests intermittently. Shall I fetch him for you, Governor?”

“No. Let his sleep off his stupor and remove all illicit drugs from the estate. Incinerate them. He will go through withdrawal today, immediately. I need him sober.” An alert sounds on his holoprojector of the files sent to him.

“As you wish, sir.” The protocol droid waddles out to start the orders.

Tarkin waits until no one is around to open the files he sent regarding pilfered Sith artifacts in the Galaxy. The loss of Umbaran Sith aurodium artifact that held top secret information how to defeat a secret Sith Force technique called a thought bomb, which is a mind trick that destroys everything within its 10 meter radius. Tarkin activates a call into the Emperor’s private channel.

Emperor Palpatine appears seated in a hologram within seconds. Surprise no longer affects Tarkin and speaks to the Emperor to gain a better idea. “My Lord, the last sighting of the Sith artifact was in the Questal Sector near the Nebulae of Osssorck.”

Palpatine hisses. “I sense a Force user is attempting to activate the artifact. My Inquisitors tell me that the artifact was sold illegally to Jabba the Hutt and it can no longer be tracked.”

The holoscreen scrolls through as an alert by the Imperial Security Bureau as it confirms the sale of a priceless item with strange properties. Tarkin evaluates the secret holocam footage and recognizes a new Imperial senator. “My Lord, it appears that the senator of Haruun Kal may be involved.” He uploads the footage to Emperor Palpatine’s holoscreen.

He watches the movements flow through the Hutt fearlessly. “Ah yes, Senator Yemaja Lah. Recently elected through a series of confounding events and represents the planet of Haruun Kal with a landslide vote. I watch her actions with great interest.” The Emperor studies her movements in the footage.

Tarkin crosses his arms. “My Lord, she appears by herself, but our sensors recognize large living distortions surround her.”

 

They both watch:

>   
>    
>  _Senator Yemaja Lah Force floats the artifact to Jabba the Hutt’s Twi’lek majordomo as he held it before Jabba on Tatooine. Then Jabba his men to arrest Yemaja and sell her to the highest bidder, but before his men could grab her, odd living weapons pierce their insides and their heads are cut and roll on to the floor. Jabba’s majordomo drops the trap door and as they fall into the rancor pit. Large beings, decloak and stare at the beast as they monitor its movements. Yemaja seems to smile and opens her arms. She jumps atop the beast and with a small pick, like a stinger, she pierces the rancor’s skull. Her squad make the rancor swallow acid bombs and keeps the rancor’s mouth closed to swallow the bombs. The acid burns the beast’s esophagus, lungs, heart as its entrails melt from its abdomen. It falls in front of Yemaja and her squad that cloak themselves as they grab her and jump to Jabba’s throne room floor. Two of them place a snake like weapon that snarls at Jabba’s monstrous and shocked face._
> 
> _Yemaja speaks calmly. “Hutt, we will bless your infidel homeworld for your insolence. For now, we will take your entire coffers on this sandbox of a planet.”_
> 
> _Jabba speaks through his majordomo. “You are in no position to negotiate.”_
> 
> _Yemaja stands back and shows a large egg from a long extinct beast before Jabba. She rubs around it as it glows under its shell and expands its mass. It rises from her hand and she stands back as it enlarges and a searing light emerges from it. A flash brightens the room as the egg explodes. In its one meter radius path, torsos and faces of individuals caught in the blast melt in horror. Yemaja and her squad, Jabba and his majordomo and a few other tiny beings remain. A sly grin crosses her face. “Next time, it will be the entire mountaintop. You contracted us for this item by your SEETH, and we retrieved it for you. Now you will give us our credits.”_
> 
> _Jabba shouts at what remains, his droids to give his entire coffer to the senator._
> 
> _Yemaja’s squad by the offense of droids as the use of them were sacrilege and they slice them with snake like weapons. Yemaja nods to them as they leave and they move the coffer to her strange ship that appears to stare directly into the probedroid. She stops, and pats her ship to talk to it. “What do you see? You see something?” She orders her squad to act. “Blessed be the gods to form a great web across the heavens to submlimate all abominable electricity on this planet for two weeks. Jabba’s treatment of me, the gods’ handmaiden, and the Praetorite must find in salvation. Blessed be the gods.”_
> 
> _Yemaja’s squad responds with salute. “Belek tiu!” They enter the vessel and exit it as they wrangle with two spider-type beast three times larger than the rancor, and they stand on the ship’s dock, then fly away into the atmosphere to weave an electronic silencing web._

Within several minutes, the entire planet goes dark electrically and the probedroid that monitors Yemaja’s actions and her ship dies in the image and noise the holoscreen of the Emperor and Tarkin as the footage ends. A long silence rests between them as they ponder the nature of the footage.

The Emperor breaks the silence. “Anything else we know about this senator?”

“My Lord, reports indicate that Senator Yemaja flew to the planet Muunilinst and made large sum transfers on behalf of ‘unknown entities’. The arrangements are cryptic at best and invest in environmental biological controls on the following planets: Belkadan, Bimmiel, Helska IV, and Serpindal and one planet in the mid-rim, Rhommamool.”

“Strange, these planets are of no consequence to the Empire. Why would she be interested in them?”

“My Lord, I can start an investigation.”

“Yes, please see that you do, in the meantime, I will consult the senator activities and any ethics violations she makes against the Imperial senate.” Then Palpatine switches his demeanor to concern. “Governor, how is your family?”

Tarkin sullen by the concern as he felt little emotion. “My wife will die soon. And my youngest son, Hunulf, may not survive with such behavior unbecoming of the Imperial officers’ corps.”

“Where is your son assigned?”

“The Imperial Loyalty Office. A new department. Not many skilled individuals there and I can keep an eye on him with reports from COMPNOR and ISB.”

“How old is your son?”

“My Lord, he unfortunately is a dullard and a deathstick addict. But he is 25 years old,” he wonders about the strange question by the Emperor.

A slow grin churns across his mouth. “Perhaps it is time to test the effectiveness of the Loyalty Officers. Call it a training exercise. As mandated, all governmental officials should be loyal to the Empire. That includes—“

“Senators,” as is Tarkin completes the Emperor’s sentence. “My son has been trained and it should prove an easy task.” With sly glib in his voice he asks. “Any senator you want to be tested under loyalty parameters?”

The Emperor says nothing but they both know who they would start with first.

“But, my Lord, she will be publicly shamed and humiliated. It will include setting her up to see her torn apart and embarrassed filled with lies. It will be a scandal.”

The Emperor shifts his position in his chair as he shows his face with yellow-red eyes. “The same spin we did for Order 66, Tarkin. You remember how we did that. Then at worst case scenario, I can dispatch Lord Vader. However, I sense, I should not do that to him. His full attention must remain on Operation Knightfall.”

“It will be done, my Lord.” He bows his head in honor. The hologram dissipates. Tarkin presses a few comm buttons for his protocol droids.

“Master, you called for me?”

“Yes, E3PO, I did. How is my wife, fairing?”

“Master, she prevails on a very low dose of narcotics and he normal dose of chemotherapeutics.”

“Narcotics? I thought I said no pain remedies?”

“Yes, master, you did, but our protocols require to refrain from any harm during hospice care.”

“I see.” He paces as he thinks about his next steps. “Keep me updated on her progress. Oh, and find my son, rouse him up and clean him up, he has new orders directly from the Emperor, himself.”

“Yes, sir and shall we dispatch a stormtrooper detail, because he left for the south underground again, sir.”

Tarkin grits his teeth and his jaw locks in rage. He narrows his eyes and he presses another comm button and a small squad of stormtroopers march into his office. “Eee Threepio give the stormtroopers the last known coordinates of my son. He is in the seedy section of the planet and arrest him if you must. It would be a dereliction of his duty. Now leave me. All of you.”

Tarkin collapse in his chair at his large desk as he knocks one of the buttons and a hologram of his family appears when they were young before the Clone Wars. A young officer out with his family barely smiling with a doting wife and two young boys who kept running. His wife’s attempts to appeal to his good nature, but he knew this was a forced marriage that trapped him in an image he hates. Her family and his father, Ranulf Tarkin, arranged it with a Muun named, Hego Damask. Forced to sire sons with a homely woman of no substance.

He preferred highly intelligent women. He ponders the few women he liked at the academy, one in particular, a fighter pilot. But his family refused her since she came from none of the houses on any of the core planets. He grits his teeth harder as he ruminates about the machinations of marital arrangements. Tarkin was never a pretty man. He knew it. Gorgeous women never would chase him. Suddenly, the creation of the Empire causes young women to flock to those who are in power, and Tarkin, seen as a catch until his wife fell sick, and his oldest son, Garoche betrayed the Empire and Darth Vader killed him. All left to rid was his wife and his drug addicted youngest son. Then he would be free to enjoy life with attractive women in his dreams.

“Garoche, why did you betray us. You followed all my orders as well as the Empire’s and then you turned to the Rebels?”


	2. Emperor Palpatine's Dance With Force Absence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emperor Palpatine learns of Senator Yemaja Lah's ever increasing power with dirtball planets or planets of no significant Imperial consequence and he wants to know why from her.

Senator Yemaja leaves to her senate duties to meet with the Emperor in his throne room. It was unprecedented that the Emperor would consider a freshman senator on a newly incorporated planet of the Empire. As she enters, the room felt cold as it bathes in the dark side of the Force. It causes her to vomit into one of the receptacles nearby the throne room. She attempts to avoid the Imperial Guards, but they flip their force pikes toward her scooting into the room. She moves along a red carpet surrounded by black. Her delirium is instant with her every step into the throne room. Yemaja's psychometric powers are felt intermittently as she could see the echoes of painful and deadly images throughout the room. She tried to suppress her powers before the Emperor, but his discovery of her people, the Yuuzhan Vong, inside the known galaxy made known to her thoughts that betray her.

The Emperor watches this young woman in white linen and silk attire. Her dress flows freely like water within a room as it seems to brighten the darkness around him. He senses her entire movements as her Force power, although they are sensed oddly in the Force, they seem to resonate throughout his perception. His thoughts swim to her. _“Like holes in the Force. Truly strange.”_

Yemaja bows before him, respectfully. “My Lord, what is it you ask of me?”

The Emperor never felt submission of any of his minions before in a strangeness of the Force. Was it smart to exclude Vader from these proceedings? Yes, possibly, her squad would eviscerate Vader much like they did the rancor. No. Good that Vader is not here, yet. “Rise my child and let me look upon your eyes.”

Yemaja stands and s)tares into his yellow eyes with her starry purple eyes. She blinks several times unsure if what she senses is accurate. Did the Emperor probe her mind through the Force? Unsure, she felt sicker in the Force as more power flows through her and there was no way out. As a knee-jerk reaction, she severs her connection in the Force, and then glares at the Emperor for invading her Force essence.

Shock runs across his face at the break from the Force as if she harmed herself. “Do not do that. You destroy the very fabric of the Force. How are you not dead?” The Emperors eyes bore into Yemaja as he rises his hands to shock her with his Force lightning.

From thin air a large snake-like weapon emerges to absorb the lightning as she blocks the light from blinding her. “Zhaetor Zhae, infidel SEETH, you asked me to meet you.”

“I can’t sense anything except my…GUARDS!” He activates his lightsabers and swirls around them at lightning pace to kill one of Yemaja’s squad. Then he lifts the ground and takes daggers of carpet matter and durasteel and flings them toward the men. He spins lighting fire within the room as it swirls and surrounds Yemaja and he grabs her physically and clasps her throat. “Decloak or your, senator, will die!” That was before the Imperial Guards could arrive.

Yemaja closes her eyes following his long nails as she turns with him. “Infidel SEETH, you will only bring me closer to my gods should you kill me. I will die in their honor as a great sacrifice.”

The Emperor stops and drops his hand from her throat and stares at her impunity. “A gift such as yours should not be sacrificed.” He deactivates his lightsabers and sits in his throne room that burns.

Yemaja’s squad decloaks. Three dead, two alive. One speaks in broken Galactic Basic Standard. “SEETH, you have no idea which you speak.”

He watches a vacant girl hollow and devoid of the Force. “I know enough. You lost your way in the Force that you are shallow in it and you rest in a faith that no longer serves you.”

“Blasphemy!”

“Then why is this child partially in the Force?”

“That is no concern of yours.”

“Is she one of your ‘shamed ones’ you have castigated from your people when you lack change?”

“What? No?” His eyes widen. “I am Het Anor, of Domain Anor. I protect this daughter as our own.”

The Emperor smiles. “But what caste is she, Het Domain Anor?”

“I’m shamed, Emperor,” Yemaja replies in soft voice.

“Because you are part human and you reside in the Force, sometimes. Your mother, is human, yes. A padawan cast aside by the Jedi. I have heard of this story and I have chosen to let it slide for far too long. But now, it can no longer be ignored.” The Emperor muses. “Het Domain Anor, if Yemaja is shamed, then she is a slave, is she not? Let me buy her from you.”

“I cannot make that decision.”

“Why not?”

“I am part of the Domain Lah. It is forbidden by the gods,” Yemaja whispers.

The Emperor studies her then he looks back at the one squad member that speaks to him. Then he senses Yemaja return into the Force, like vacuum to air. She suffocates without her Force, but is in pain while she uses. “Child, how do your function with a people that hate you.”

“Like your anti-alien rhetoric? Mi’Lord?”  Yemaja retorts.

He smirks. “There are provisions for exceptional aliens. You are part human, too. Take advantage of what the Empire can do for your, dear.”

“Not at the expense of my people.” Yemaja looks up to him.

“Then we should negotiate.” The Emperor states.

“With that giant ball Tarkin places his faith into?” Yemaja balks. “Puul, an abomination such as that one should be destroyed for faith of the gods.”

Het Anor glares at Yemaja for overspeaking her station. “She speaks for Haruun Kal, there is no negotiation with such warmongers of unlive metal technology.”

“And yet, you are in preparation to overtake my galaxy with your proselytizing.” The Emperor snaps back and he compels Yemaja to come to him when he senses her back into the Force.

Yemaja walks to him with utmost innocence as her detail grabs her to stop her.

“Yemmy, Qe’u?”

“Huh? Bos?” She turns to the Emperor as her brow furrows. Then a surge in her Force powers and a drop into absence. She looks at Het Anor as he held her and faints.

Het shock on his face turns to the Emperor and this turns back to her. “What sort of sorcerous parlor trick is this?”

“The dark side.” The Emperor grins. “Interesting, truly intriguing.”

“My authority is over her, but I must find authority to speak to your infidel ways.” Het hikes Yemaja over his shoulder and carries her off out of the office as he and his others that carry their dead on their shoulders. They re-cloak in their armor and leave.

The Imperial Guards race into the throne room with a plea. “My Lord?’

“Leave me.” His voice absolute as he shuts the door through the Force and puts on his hood to alert Darth Vader, Grand Moff Tarkin, Admiral Thrawn and Prince Xizor. “I just had an interesting incursion with the Yuuzhan Vong.”


	3. The Grand Moff's Son

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunulf Tarkin is the second son of Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin and a failure. But he has become an Imperial Loyalty Officer, a new department to the the loyalty of all those who serve the Empire. He is tasked by his father for his life to learn more of new senator from Haruun Kal, Senator Yemaja Lah.

Tarkin watches the Emperor’s hologram collapse as there was an alert at his office door regarding his son, Hunulf who was sober. “Send him in.”

Hunulf with disheveled dirty blonde hair and acne to pock his face lugs in Tarkin’s office bound with handcuffs and a shock collar on his neck. The stormtroopers push him inside and stand beside him. His voice strains as he lifts his eyes to meet his fathers. “What is it now, dad? Need me to scrub your ion scoring on your hyperdrives aboard your Imperial Star Destroyer, again? Want to teach me another one of your kriffin’ lessons?”

“Shut up.” Tarkin’s grey eyes meet his son’s dead blue eyes. “I have a mission for an Imperial Loyalty Officer. I need to know you are prepared for it.” He throws flimsies out that spread across his bureau.

Hunulf watches the flimsies fly across his page and grabs one that is about to fall as he sees a hologram of a very beautiful woman. His hands bound by the handcuffs looks at her astonishment. “Who is she?”

Tarkin still watches his son have the same proclivities as him, chasing beautiful women. But his son, Hunulf is more handsome than Tarkin. The Imperial Loyalty Officers’ corp often chose very attractive individuals to gain trust among wayward Imperials to determine if there are disloyal activities against the Empire. With Hunulf’s experiences with illegal smuggling, gambling, and drug abuse means he has a way about him to lie, cheat, steal and dismantle seditious individuals. Tarkin smirks and rises to look up to his son from a seated position. “Hunulf, you like her?” A slow smile. “She is beautiful, but she is not human – or not all the way human. No matter. She is a senator and her loyalty requires testing.”

“A shapeshifter.”

“No. Plastic surgery we think. Made to look like a human, but we cannot get close to her to obtain a genetic sample for analysis.”

“So you want me to go meet her, get her to trust me, and then you want me to do what, dad?” Hunulf loves smarting off to his father to get him off his back.

“Son,” Tarkin says coolly. “Bring her over to this estate and I will deal with her, myself.” He flashes a grin. “I am more experienced in interrogation within reason than you”

Hunulf lips flab as he rolls his eyes. “It’s always about you and the girls, dad. And I am your pimp.” He turns to the stormtrooper and laughs. “Can you believe this guy, he wants me to bring home a beautiful woman to seduce her.” His voice becomes louder. “To sleep with in my mother’s house as she lies on her deathbed.”

The stormtrooper hold Hunulf back from lashing out at his father as they remove their shock batons and beat him back repeatedly.

Tarkin rises and moves around his desk and sneers. “Lower your voice. You will wake your mother.” He grabs his chin. “You will do this, or you will waste a way on the spice mines of Kessel as a slave boy toy for a Hutt. Understand?” He slaps him hard and rises as he grabs the stormtrooper’s baton. “All you need to do is befriend this senator, get her to trust you and bring her here, for further interrogation for her loyalty for the Empire.”

The sharp pain throughout his back as he sits on his butt and glares at his father in his formal military uniform. He smiles and turns into a chuckle. “Working from home, dad? Or are you trying to spend time with your sons after all that time you’ve missed. Oh wait, Garoche is dead. That’s right. You’re still an ass, dad.” Then he looks from side to side and places his hands up to the stormtrooper to lift him up.

The stormtrooper waits for Tarkin’s approval.

Tarkin flings his hand and nods in agreement. “Remove his binders, too.”

The stormtrooper removes his binders and he watches him carefully.

“So, dad, where do I find this lovely lady you're about to pervert, and what is her name?”

Tarkin thin smile flashes across his face to see his youngest son step up for the family. “She is on Coruscant. You do not need to dress as an Imperial, until you arrive here. And remember your training.”

“Yes, da—Governor Tarkin.” Hunulf discovers his father’s recording probedroid. His talks were made into holorecordings as a form of discipline. He salutes in deference and goes to his room and puts on his Imperial uniform. He looks at the flimsi of Senator Yemaja Lah, and grabs his pistol and dons his cap. “A regular lieutenant for the Imperial Loyalty Officer’s corp.” He activates a comm channel and he calls an old friend. “Hey, Sinjir Rath Velus, I’m coming home.” He laughs deactivating the hologram as he rises, puts his gloves on and board a shuttle to his father’s Imperial Star Destroyer. “Governor Tarkin, at least she’s easy on the eyes to be an alien, different than say your usual sexually transmitted infectious Twi'lek fair.”

Tarkin’s face emotionless turns to him. “Just do your job.”

Their shuttle arrives in the hanger bay aboard the Star Destroyer and sets a course to Coruscant.


	4. The Senator of Haruun Kal

Senator Yemaja Lah carries large flimsies in her hands as several aides pass her with disgust. Her name has been thrown in the gossip columns for upholding conservative policies from the Jedi and using her office to over-extend herself for preferential treatment of aliens.  The hologossip columns reported all her recent land purchases near Sah’c Town and the questionable deal that it will be a casino entertainment complex for all beings, except cyborgs and droids.

Most veterans have cybernetic parts, it is unfair to them to not be serviced in the Empire. But the Emperor permitted it and despite the trash they print on her, she progresses from the lies told about her by unverified news sources.

She makes her way to her office in the Imperial Senate hall when she sees a young man in a black uniform at the rank of lieutenant. “And you are?”

He gasps at her beauty in person as he stutters. “H-H-Hunulf. My name is Hunulf Tarkin and I need your help to immigrate my family to the Empire from the Outer Rim.”

She tilts her head in confusion. “Pardon? You need to report to Imperial Immigration. I cannot help you on immigration needs.”

“I thought I’d speak to you since they are Balawian on Haruun Kal and sought their fortune on the Outer Rim planet Bimmiel only to go bust.” Hunulf lies.

“Dwi? Err...I mean, yes. What’s their names?”

“Well, see, it’s not Tarkin, because well, that’s a very famous name, like my father's, Grand Moff Tarkin. But I'm in trouble and he cannot find out. See, she's my wife...I mean...my girlfriend and she is carrying our baby. I just want her and the baby to be safe. My father does not know and it would cause a lot of scandal.” He drags on.

Yemaja rolls her eyes in disgust. “And now you want to tell me that this girlfriend and child are aliens and you heard I help aliens a lot now. See Imperial Immigration, I'm in Planetary Biologics and Atmospherics.”

Hunulf slightly smiles as he walks around her. “Yes. She’s Rattataki. Our child will be half human, half-Rattataki.”

 _Is he scoping me out?_ Yemaja thought. _Rattatak is too remote and too violent society for this guy’s calm demeanor._ “What is your name, again?”

He lifts her hand and kisses the back of it gently and caresses it with his thumb. “Hunulf Tarkin, mi’lady.” He leans up to her with a grin. “Why don’t we go get some tapcaf.”

Yemaja narrows her eyes and pushes him off her. “I want you to leave my office. I don’t know you.”

His face changes expression to disappointment. “Mi’Lady, I was told you were my only hope. Think of the children. I just want them to be safe.”

“Leave. Now. Or I will call in my guard.”

“That won’t be necessary. I understand. You are too much of an Imperial fascist that is not compassionate toward refugees caught in war.”

Yemaja stares at him face-to-face as he lies with a huge grin. She grabs the back of his neck and plants a kiss on his lips to savor his taste in her mouth. He jerks around as it is a shock throughout his body and grins his eyes to desire more. Yemaja pushes him away and hands him an ‘icy leaf’. “Arrive at my private Coruscant residence in 19:00 hours and we will discuss more of this mysterious Rattataki wife and expectant bispecies child.” She disengages him. “Your key will no longer work after 19:00...therefore, I suggest you not be late. Now, I want you to leave my office immediately.”

He races from her office into the Imperial Senate quad and exhales in awe. “Whew. That was.” He receives a message from his friend, Velus. “Go ahead Sinj.”

“We got all the recording and I’ll upload it the dark HoloNet with the usual encryption.” Sinjir Rath Velus stated.

“Thanks Sinj. As far as the residence goes, we’ll play that one by ear.” Hunulf stated.

“You’re the lead, Hun. But tell me what you see, I’ve heard the Coruscanti Pleasure Dome is the hotbed of all unscrupulous activities in the galaxy and they don’t hide it. But, not even the Inquisitors come out unscathed.”

“I know, just get ready to grab me if I don’t get out.”

 

 ***

 

Hunulf Tarkin rode his speeder bike through the city streets in the Coruscant underground. He flew down to Level 1313 where aliens do reside and hide from the Empire to meet a spice smuggler for trafficking to planet Haruun Kal. It was a Nautolan that smokes tabac while he waits for Hunulf. His skin turned a muddy gray with his head tentacles clamped behind his back. His nictating membrane shifts while he suck in the tabac from the hookah, and holds it until he exhales a strange smell out. Hunulf enters the smoky bar that had no marquis name because of the high human culture laws and anti-alien sentiment. Hunulf walks to the Nautolan and sits across from him in a smuggler’s gear. Since there were no sensors in the lower levels and it was lawless, everyone carried a weapon. Hunulf waits for him to start the conversation.

“You’re late human.” The Nautolan said as he exhales his rank smoke.

“You miss me, Beelo?” Hunulf chuckles.

“No. But I don’t have time to waist. Do you have our navigation coordinates?”

“Do you have our product?”

“As uncut as you can have it. Good stuff a cross blend between Kessel spice and the exulted ryll of Ylesia.” The Nautolan tosses a pack to Hunulf.

He takes the pack and digs out a gummy piece and chews the morsel that swirls the rich aroma taste. The heaven sent taste whirls his tastebuds as it numbs his sense and causes a slight inebriation. “Yeah.” He smiles. “Now, this stash will be going to Haruun Kal, right?”

The Nautolan stares deep into the eyes of Hunulf to see if he understands what will happen. He holds a gun underneath the table, which he will use when the time is right. “Yes, Haruun Kal. Just as you ordered. To neutralize the people of Pelek Baw.”

“Right and no Imperial entanglements.”

“Is that not what we agreed upon?”

“Of course, I’m making sure your cronies understand. I don’t need Black Sun or Hutt Cartel to block my orders. I need them to make it to Haruun Kal or my father will kill me.”

The Nautolan shifts his gaze to a tired look the slices through the lies Hunulf told before. He sighs deeply from the high pitch voice of Hunulf and his complaints that desire to kill him off from his misery. Then he hears the whine and places his hand up to stop his complaint. “Who is your father?”

Hunulf shakes his hands. “What? I—err—mean my job. I don’t want. It is like a father to me. Yeah.”

The Natuolan leans in and bores into his soul. “I know you work for the Empire, as what I can’t tell since you are a deathstick addict and are lazy to no end. Nevertheless, the Empire’s xenophobia will cost them. But tell me this, why Haruun Kal?”

Hunulf levels with the Nautolan as he bubbles his lips and taps his hands on the table. “I’m neutralizing the Balawians over a witch of a woman. The senator of the planet.” He laughs at how crazy it sound. “She uh, blew me off, and then asked me to visit her at her Coruscanti estate. And once I’m there, she and I are going to share a private dance.”

“The Pleasure Dome? That new senator?” His internal smile only warms his hearts. “A lot of people are dying to get into that place. You are very fortunate. And as for that senator, her conservative ideas from the Old Republic are a plus for aliens.”

“All of that has to change to fit the desires of the Empire you know. But while you have me and a few other, Imps, that are open to aliens, it would be best to work with me as an informant.” Hunulf smirks.

The Nautolan was unnerved as he jumps up in anger and places a gun into Hunulf’s face. “I will not be an Imp lackey. Who do you think you are?”

Behind him stood Sinjir Rath Velus with a gun in the Nautolan’s back. “Hun, we got the holorecording.”

“Great Sinj. Take this scum and arrest him under the Imperial Loyalty Act.” Hunulf announces as he shows his credentials on the hologram. Stormtroopers race in and knock down walls and arrest all within seedy bar. Hunulf exits the area and places another spice chew in his mouth as he inhales the rich aroma and swirls his eyes in euphoria. He closes his eyes and savors the peaceful place that a spice high gives. A comlink interrupts his mind drift. “Yeah, who is this.”

“Hunulf? When were you invited to the Pleasure Dome?”

“Dad? Uh, sir. Yes. Yes. Senator Yemaja invited me today. This mission moves slowly, sir. Uh. I’m not supposed to report to you, but my supervisor at ISB.”

A hideous voice snarls in the comlink. “You report to whomever asks you on your high priority channel.”

Hunulf bounce open and stutters as he is unsure who it was. “Is this the Emperor?”

Tarkin gets back on the comlink and states calmly. “Hunulf, when I told you about this mission, I said to keep a low profile. Within two days, you are invited to a whorehouse and you have ties to drug smugglers.” He exhales in frustration. “And yes, that was the Emperor. This comlink channel is secure.”

Hunulf puts his hand on his hips and stares out into the expanse of the Coruscant skyline of the lower levels. The darkness hid him as the lights from the skyscrapers allowed for airflow. His hair blew in the wind just as the conversation on the comlink swirls in his drug stupors his mind. He had another alert indicating the time to meet with Yemaja. “Governor, do you still want me to meet with the Senator?”

“Yes. We do.” The voice lingers.

Sinjir walked beside him to confer with his and Hunulf shakes his head while talking to this conference comlink call.

“I understand. It will be done, sir, I mean, my Lord,” he gets disconnected.

Sinjir surprise when he realizes who the speaker was on the comlink. His mouth agape as he tries to say something in return.

Hunulf drops his hands and his head as if he was beaten. “Take me to the landing strip of the Pleasure Dome. Let’s get this party started.”

“Sure thing, brother.” Sinjir replies and jumps to his landspeeder. “Jump in man. It will takes us an hour to get there.”

“Yeah, alright. Thing is, I’m not sure I can keep up this charade. This woman has done nothing disloyal to the Empire.”

“That’s how they all are, man.” Sinjir takes off on the landspeeder easily.


	5. The Private Residence in the Coruscanti Pleasure Dome

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hunulf Tarkin makes it to Senator Yemaja Lah's private residence in the Coruscanti Pleasure Dome - a place where all people can meet except droids and cyborgs. Since the founding of the Empire, anti-alien sentiment has built on the capital planet, Coruscant and no aliens can find places to do business in private without the Empire breathing down their necks. But ever since the new senator of Haruun Kal arrived, she has changed that in a short amount of time. However, Emperor Palpatine does not like that, and does not want to send Darth Vader to clean house for fear that he may be killed. Darth Vader killed? Dismantled. The Coruscanti Pleasure Dome is a front for the Yuuzhan Vong.

Yemaja rests on the veranda as the city lights twinkle in the distance. A drift of wind blows the leaves across her pool area. The warm air cozies her as she dreams of a stable life. Images of a stable life includes no Force powers, but to be blind to the Force. Her mother and father together as they surround her with love. Devotion to all the gods. Then perhaps, in the future, her own husband and children. But those ideas were fleeting as long as she stays on the filthy planet, Coruscant. Her beliefs run contrary to that of the Empire. The use of droids, blasphemous. The rampant disregard to natural planets and environment, filthy infidels. The behaviors that mix machines with organics, a heretical to the gods. She could not share her devotion to her gods without exposing the privacy of her people’s actions, the Yuuzhan Vong. But the Yuuzhan Vong did not accept her until she became useful to their ordained plan. The only plan worthy of this galaxy. Invasion. But war was too much and she did not want to lead it. She was unhinged in the Force, no acceptance of her hybrid status of Yuuzhan Vong-Human, only devotion to one god – the slaves goddess Yun Shuno, because her mother, Auset was the Yun Shuno Incarnate. Long gone was her parents love, her father never visited the Isle Sanctuary anymore.

She puts those worries aside, and relaxes when the gate chirps and the Imperial Loyalty Officer enters to test her loyalty to the Empire. She did not care, she will die on Coruscant if that was her fate, but she had a mission from her gods for her salvation. And that was more important to her.

Hunulf blinks several times when he sees a luscious pool with greenery under false sunlight. The warm balmy air mimics that of the best beaches, like Gold Beach, Coronet City on the planet, Corellia. He removes his long coat and sits at the edge near Yemaja, the senator and the woman who kissed him. The day shifts into dark and tiny fireflies twinkle in the night sky. They shimmer glows a natural gold to Yemaja’s burnished complexion. He gulps at the beauty of the place and her.

Yemaja enchants him. It was easy. Her Force powers could sway any man she targets. Play with his natural senses and perceptions, make promises of ecstasy and the human man will quiver. The Yuuzhan Vong shaped Yemaja that way. The plastic surgeries without anesthetic. _“Anesthesia was for the weak. Pain gives glory to the gods.”_ Thoughts drilled in to Yemaja since she could speak. That pain lingers every time she converts a man to the True Way faith. The men were low level gamblers looking for a better life. Specimens the Master Shapers require for their live scientific protocols. Overtime, men of high-born levels could be converted but the Master Shapers found the same filthy infidel insecurities as the gamblers and criminals – they had greed.

That was when Yemaja was assigned to become a politician. One with a very secret mission: to seed planets for the sanctification by the Yuuzhan Vong gods. The Master Shapers put a small tumor into Yemaja’s brain to activate at any time, and order her to add seeds to planets for the Yuuzhan Vong war chest. These seeds would grow into beasts for the Yuuzhan Vong to use when they conquer a planet. What was unexpected was Yemaja would become Senator of her homeworld, Haruun Kal and have a seat as an Imperial Senator.

Hunulf had no idea of her people, the Yuuzhan Vong. There were odd statues of strange creatures without noses. Yemaja had a nose, or rather, cartilage that covers her nose. It was a beautiful nose to him. Everything about her was soft and beautiful. “You know, I’m not married, yet,” he says in a lowered voice.

Yemaja shakes her head in confusion. “Then you know why you are here, Hunulf Tarkin.” She did her homework from genetic testing her Master Shapers' developed.

“Well, I did not wear this suit for official business,” the corners of his mouth turn upward.

“You are lucky I allow you to keep your clothes on. Or did you not know, the Pleasure Dome is a clothing optional place.”

“Tell me, what is pleasurable here?” A tree like creature hands him a cocktail of his desire, Jogan Brandy on the rocks. Hunulf jumps when he sees his favorite drink handed to him by a tree.

Yemaja giggles and moves forward to where he sits, gently places her hand onto his thigh and whispers in his mind. “Do you find this pleasurable?”

Hunulf gulps his cocktail down and feels the warmth of the alcohol ooze to his stomach. He sees his world spin from the combination of spice chew and alcohol. “Hmm. Wow. I would have never thought that about—“ He passes out near her legs.

Yemaja snaps her fingers and asks the Guaiacum to drag him the living rack torture system, called the “Embrace of Pain” to extract all information from his mind. His mumbles garbled as he zones into various stages.

A chirp sounds as probedroids drones attempt to fly over the estate. Her large beast spiders zap them from the sky and eat their metal.

The Guaiacum finish the connections into the rack as a mini-Yammosk, or War Coordinator, wiggles to probe Hunulf’s mind steal any secret information from his memories. The first image that appears was with Tarkin.

“So he is Tarkin’s son. Hmm? I’d never believe Governor Tarkin had a slovenly son.” Yemaja studies the fallout patterns from the electrical currents on the living computer. “Enhance.”

The Yammosk shakes more to probe deeper into his mind as his strapped hands constrict into fists. The lights glow green that indicate they are within normal parameters with the subject.

“Oh so he does spice, a lot of it. And…he gets it from some spacer groups, like the Huxlings or sometimes, the Hutts. Jabba, you’re such an asshole. Psh.” Yemaja glibs. “Enhance more.”

The Yammosk blinks a red light on the living computers that indicates one parameter has been exceeded. Yemaja looks over the systems and stares at his body, full and erect. Yemaja gasps “That was short. Usually, you’d think infidels could last longer.”  Then the Yammosk pushes the limit of Hunulf’s brain to extract more information. Nothing much more than the emotion of sadness about is mother’s illness and his father’s distance.

"That is too bad about his mother and based on our holointerrogation hacked feeds, she just died. I wonder if good old Grand Moff Tarkin will tell him." 

Then a recording device falls from his pocket to the ground. The trees look at Yemaja in fear if they have been recorded. 

She picks up the device and looks directly into it and programs the living recording device called a Qang Qahsa to press a few pain nodules for it to screech. The recording stops and the she puts microscopic bugs to trace the signal airwaves and start to infest them with electronic spores that eat metal-based electronics. Yemaja throws the dead device into the lava pit fire kept on her living beast atop the mountain. 

"I apologize, Aoxtl, we must do a better job at screening." The beast she lives on gurgles nearby as the Yammosk removes key specimens from Hunulf. "He still knocked out. Send him to Level 1313 to one of our bars we control with partners and let him sleep it off. Prepare a inconclusive report. Wait? What?"

The yammosk telepaths to Yemaja about a visit to Eriadu to see Grand Moff Tarkin. "Why? Oh. Yes. I'm only good for that, I see." She crosses her arms and thinks what her next plan should be. "Have we mapped the planet? Savannahs? Deadly primates? How interesting, perhaps we can shape them. Yes, then, send notice that I would love to see the Governor's estate."

Yemaja leaves to her room to prepare to travel aboard her modified Vuaspar ship.


End file.
